Lagerstroemia plant named ‘SMNLIG’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of Lagerstroemia plant named ‘SMNLIG’ is disclosed, characterized by intense magenta flower color, and dark greyed-purple foliage. Plants are well-branched and well-suited for container production. The new variety is a Lagerstroemia, normally used for outdoor ornamental purposes.

Latin name of the genus and species: Lagerstroemia indica.

Variety denomination: ‘SMNLIG’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Lagerstroemia cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Megan Mathey, in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breeding program was to develop ornamental plants with good plant habits and new flower colors. The open pollination resulting in this new variety was made during Summer of 2015.

The seed parent is an unnamed, unpatented proprietary variety of Lagerstroemia indica. The pollen parent is unidentified. The new variety was selected in July of 2015 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2015 open pollination, in a commercial nursery in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar has been performed by softwood cuttings. This was first performed at the same nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. during Summer of 2017, and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in multiple successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SMNLIG’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SMNLIG’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SMNLIG’ as a new and distinct Lagerstroemia cultivar:

-   1. Attractive dark foliage. -   2. Good mildew resistance. -   3. Intense magenta flower color. -   4. Good container plant.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SMNLIG’ are similar to plants of the seed parent, in most horticultural characteristics; however, plants of the new cultivar ‘SMNLIG’ differ in the following;

-   1. The new variety has dark greyed-purple leaves, while the seed     parent has green leaves. -   2. Plants of the new variety are more vigorous than plants of the     seed parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SMNLIG’ are comparable to the commercial variety Lagerstroemia ‘PIILAG-V’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,925. The two Lagerstroemia varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘SMNLIG’ differs in the following;

-   1. Plants of the new variety produce more branches than plants of     this comparator. -   2. Foliage of the new variety is dark greyed-purple; this comparator     has dark greyed-red foliage. -   3. New variety has intense magenta flowers; comparator has coral     colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates flowering plants outdoors at approximately 3 years old in Grand Haven, Mich.

FIG.2 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘SMNLIG’ in a 3 gallon pot . Age of the plant photographed is approximately 1.5 to 2 years old from a rooted cutting.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close up of the inflorescence and foliage.

The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2015 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘SMNLIG’ plants grown in a poly house in Grand Haven, Mich. The growing temperature ranged from approximately 18° C. to 27° C. during the day and from approximately 5° C. to 10° C. during the night. General light conditions are normal sunlight and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Lagerstroemia indica ‘SMNLIG’.

PROPAGATION

-   Type of propagation typically used: Softwood cuttings. -   Time to initiate roots: 21 days at 18-27° C. -   Time to produce a rooted cutting: 1-2 months at 18-27° C. -   Root description: Thin, dense, fibrous, moderate branching. White in     color, not accurately measured with R.H.S. Chart.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: 2-3 years old from a rooted cutting. -   Container size: 3 gallon container. -   Overall plant shape: Compact, rounded. -   Growth habit: Freely branching outward. Deciduous flowering shrub. -   Plant spread: 63 cm. -   Plant height: 59 cm. -   Plant vigor: Good. -   Branching habit: Basal. -   Length of primary lateral branches: 33 cm. -   Diameter of lateral branches: 4 mm. -   Quantity of lateral branches: 15 to 30. -   Stem:     -   -   Color.—New growth: RHS Greyed-Purple 187C. Old growth: RHS             Greyed-Brown 199C.         -   Shape.—New growth: Square. Old growth: Round.         -   Strength.—Good.         -   Aspect angle.—15-80°.         -   Texture.—New growth glabrous, old growth woody. -   Internode length: Average 2.0 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Sub-opposite.         -   Average length.—5 cm.         -   Average width.—2.75 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Elliptic.         -   Aspect.—Strong upward fold along center.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, slightly ribbed.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Greyed-Purple N186A.             Young foliage under side: RHS Brown N200B. Mature foliage             upper side: RHS Greyed-Purple N186A. Mature foliage under             side: RHS Brown N200B.         -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color upper side: RHS             Greyed-Purple N187A. Venation color under side: RHS             Greyed-Purple 183C.         -   Petiole.—Length: 1 mm. Diameter: 1 mm. Texture, upper side:             Smooth. Texture, under side: Smooth. Color, upper side: RHS             Greyed-Purple 187A. Color, under side: RHS Greyed-Purple             187A.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Summer to Fall. -   Inflorescence form: Panicle at terminal ends. -   Flowers per inflorescence: Average range 20 to 50. -   Inflorescence size:     -   -   Width.—10 cm.         -   Height.—9 cm. -   Individual flowers:     -   -   Type.—Rotate.         -   Habit.—Whorled upward and outward.         -   Diameter.—3 cm.         -   Length.—3 cm.         -   Persistence.—Self-cleaning.         -   Fragrance.—Lightly earthy. -   Petals:     -   -   Arrangement.—Loose whorl of 6 petals.         -   Number.—6.         -   Shape.—Undulate orbicular shape.         -   Margin.—Irregular ruffled lobes, undulate.         -   Tip shape.—Rounded.         -   Base shape.—Rounded.         -   Length.—1.5 cm.         -   Width.—1 cm.         -   Texture.—Upper: Soft, smooth, delicate. Lower: Soft, smooth,             delicate.         -   Color.—When opening: Upper surface: RHS Red-Purple 63A.             Under surface: RHS Red-Purple 63A. Fully opened: Upper             surface: RHS Red-Purple 63A. Under surface: RHS Red-Purple             63A. -   Bud:     -   -   Shape.—Spherical.         -   Length.—7 mm.         -   Diameter.—7 mm.         -   Color.—RHS Greyed-Purple 187B. -   Sepals:     -   -   Appearance.—Smooth, glossy.         -   Arrangement.—Unguiculate.         -   Shape.—Narrowly triangular.         -   Tip shape.—Acute.         -   Base shape.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Quantity per flower.—6.         -   Length.—4 mm.         -   Width.—3 mm.         -   Texture.—Upper: Smooth, coriaceous, rugose. Lower: Smooth.         -   Color.—Upper: Near Greyed-Purple 184A. Lower: RHS             Yellow-White 158D. -   Calyx:     -   -   Shape.—Unguiculate.         -   Length.—5 mm.         -   Diameter.—8 mm. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Length.—1.4 cm.         -   Diameter.—2 mm.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Color.—RHS Greyed-Purple 187C.         -   Strength.—Flexible. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Length.—5 mm.         -   Diameter.—1.5 mm.         -   Texture.—Smooth.         -   Color.—RHS Greyed-Purple 187C.         -   Strength.—Flexible.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:     -   -   Number.—About 29.         -   Filament length.—1 cm.         -   Filament color.—RHS Red-Purple 70D, with White 155B at base. -   Anthers:     -   -   Shape.—Linear.         -   Length.—1 mm.         -   Color.—RHS Yellow 9A.         -   Pollen.—Amount: Moderate. Color: RHS Yellow 9A. -   Pistil:     -   -   Number.—1.         -   Length.—2 cm.         -   Style.—Length: 1.8 cm. Color: RHS Greyed-Purple 184D. -   Stigma:     -   -   Shape.—Globular.         -   Color.—RHS Black 202A.         -   Ovary color.—RHS Yellow 11B.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Fruits and seeds: Not observed to date. -   Disease/pest resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to     normal diseases and pests of Lagerstroemia observed. -   Temperature range: Observed to tolerate a temperature range from     −10° C. to 35° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Lagerstroemia plant named ‘SMNLIG’ as herein illustrated and described. 